NUTRITIONAL-STATUS OF INSTITUTIONALIZED ELDERLY - VALENCIA, ESTADO CARABOBO, VENEZUELA

To assess the nutritional status of 80 elderly living in a geriatric h ome, a cross-sectional study was designed. 40 men (76,1+/-8,2 years) a nd 40 women (83,1+/-6,9 years) were randomly selected. Anthropometric indicators (weight (W), height OI), triceps skinfold (TSF), muscle are a (MA), fat area (FA), mid-arm circumference (MAC), arm muscle circumf erence (AMC) and body mass index (BMI)), biochemical parameters (hemog lobin, ferritin, cholesterol, albumin, zinc and vitamin A) and dietary intake (weighed method) were determined. MAC and AMC in men and PT an d FA in women were below 10th percentile. 35,3% did not show signs of undernutrition, 39,7% was at nutritional risk (1 sign) and the other 2 5% was undernourished (2 or more signs). 8% showed anemia 52% had low values of ferritin, 13% were hypozincemic, 8% had vitamin A deficiency , 29% had hypoalbuminemia and 7.9% hipocholesterolemia. 50% and 48% of men and women had energy intake below 1,5x BMR (n=47). Vitamin A, C a nd zinc adequacies were below 2/3 RDA. Evidence of the high nutritiona l risk of this elderly group is provided by alteration of anthropometr ic, biochemical and dietary indicators. Some other parameters must be assessed (reduced appetite, lack of foods) in order to detect more sub tle changes of the nutritional status, and a nutritional intervention should be started immediately.